Porch Swing
by caromac
Summary: Mrs Weasley has an inkling about Ron and Hermione and asks Harry.


**Title: **Porch Swing

**Rating: **G

**Genre: **General / Romance

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters in this story, they all belong to J.K. I'm only borrowing them.

**Spoilers: **Post DH, preEpilogue.

**Summary: **Mrs Weasley has an inkling about Ron and Hermione and asks Harry. A one-shot, probably. Depends if people like it and want to read more of a similar vein. In which case could be considered a prelude to another fic.

**Author's Note: **If you liked "How Ron Gets a TV and Hermione is Stressed" you might like this. If you do please review and tell me. If you don't please review and tell me why not. But you know, constructively.

Also, if anyone figures out what Fleur said to Ron ... well you'll get a cookie. A little challenge.

Also, SisterBear, if you read this thank you for the offer of looking over some of my stuff before I posted it. I would love to take you up on that. But I wanted to post this right away and didn't want to bother you - but in the future that would be great …

* * *

" Oi Dad, chuck us the potatoes. "

It was dinner at the Weasley house.

" Ron you ask your father politely for the potatoes. "

" Well at least I asked didn't I?"

Harry chuckled, quietly, so Mrs Weasley wouldn't hear him.

The room was well lit and warm and the dinner table was crowded, with no rooms for elbows and noisy, with the clatter of dishes. Various pockets of conversation were spread up and down the room, all merging into cheerful and boisterous background chatter. Dinner was Mr Weasley's steak chops and Harry couldn't remember a time he was so used to having food this delicious _all _the time that this was just an ordinary Wednesday evening.

Ron, now having acquired the potatoes, served himself a couple of dollops then turned to Harry.

" Would you care for some mashed potatoes Harry?" Ron asked in an impossibly polite voice.

At the far end of the table Mrs Weasley rolled her eyes.

" I think I'll pass Ron." Harry said, smothering a grin.

Ron heaved a dramatic sigh.

" Suit one's self. Ginny? Pommes de terre? "

" What?"

Fleur, sitting next to Ginny took the bowl off Ron and said to her:

" He's meanz ze potatoes. Merci Ron, pourriez-vous me donner aussi les carottes ? Ou préféreriez-vous pour moi parler dans "idiot" ? "

Fleur was looking at Ron expectantly with a coy smile and a mischievous twinkle in her eye. Ron stared back at her nonplussed.

" Uh, oui. "

Ginny laughed and Ron turned to Harry, looking a little disturbed.

" You know, I think this family's a bad influence on her. "

" Speaking of which, when's Hermione getting here?" Harry asked.

" Just after dinner," Ron glanced behind him to check "no-one" was looking then turned back to Harry and lowered his voice. " I told her to come at exactly 6:15. That way I get out of washing up. "

" Wow, you're evil. "

" Well that's alright, you and Ginny can spend some quality time scrubbing dishes. " Ron smirked.

Harry turned back to his dinner and stabbed his carrots.

" I don't want to know what you and Hermione do during your "quality time." " He said wryly.

" 's a good thing you're not coming then. " said Ron grinning.

* * *

Mrs Weasley, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Charlie were the only ones left in the kitchen.

" Right, time for dishes!" said Mrs Weasley, clapping her hands together.

Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw Charlie sidling out of the kitchen door. He also spotted Ron checking his watch.

" Ginny and Harry you can do the dishes, Ron! Where do you think you're going?!"

Ron was half way out the door.

" Off to meet Hermione, she'll need help with her luggage. " said Ron gesturing towards the garden and beyond, at the hedge where Hermione would be apparrating to.

" I'm not sure that's all she'll need help with." muttered Ginny.

" Ginevra! " Mrs Weasley scolded.

" Can I go Mum?" Ron asked impatiently, jiggling

" Yes, yes. " she said, waving him off with her dish cloth and he disappeared through the door She turned back to the two teenagers left. " Ginny, Harry. "

Ginny was ready with an excuse though.

" I can't Mum, I've got homework from Professor McGonagall. "

" Goodness, are none of my children prepared to help their mother? Never mind, I guess it's just you and me Harry dear. " exclaimed Mrs Weasley, shooting Harry a wicked smile.

" Actually Mum, I was thinking Harry could help me - "

Mrs Weasley dropped the smile and turned back to round on Ginny, waggling her finger.

" Oh no my girl, you can't fool me that easily. Homework is a solitary pursuit. Up you go. "

" But Ron and Hermione - "

" Do not have any homework. Up!"

Ginny left the room with a meaningful, despairing backward glance at Harry. He heard her running up the stairs and he turned to Mrs Weasley.

" Uh, where are there - "

" Over here Harry, " gestured Mrs Weasley, " Whip out your wand, and I'll show you what to do. Really, the things they don't teach you at Hogwarts - " said Mrs Weasley shaking her head.

* * *

Harry chose washing and 10 minutes later he was handing Mrs Weasley the last plate when, instead of taking it, Mrs Weasley stopped and looked at the dish cloth in her hands.

" Harry?" she said self-consciously, without looking at him " can I ask you a question?"

" Uh yeah, sure. " he replied, though he wasn't sure what to expect.

"Harry dear, " Mrs Weasley paused, as if she was nervous. She glanced at him and he smiled at her. This encouraged her and she burst out with: " - are Ron and Hermione dating? "

" Oh. " Harry was surprised by the question." Yes. "

Mrs Weasley nodded as she absorbed this information, then looked away and smiled to herself, broadly. She brought up a shaky hand to her cheek and rubbed away a little tear that leaked out, her wedding ring quivering against her cheek.

" Oh good. That's so - that makes me so - "

But Mrs Weasley couldn't continue, she broke out in large, consuming sobs. Clutching the dish cloth to her bosom she dropped her head and her body shook violently. Harry watched her nervously, his hand fidgeting beside him; he didn't know what to do. His mind had just gone blank.

Mrs Weasley looked up, red rimmed eyes as if she just remembered Harry was there. Gulping she tried to speak and her voice sounded croaky and stretched.

"- I'm s - sorry, it's just that it makes me so - so happy… that s - someone is hap -py. It's so

be -beautiful. "

Mrs Weasley broke out in a fresh wave of sobs and covered her face with the dish towel again. Harry watched as Mrs Weasley's hand found the counter where she shakily placed it to support herself. Harry took a step towards her and took her hand in his own, he gripped it tightly and was relieved to feel her squeeze back just as tightly. Her skin was papery and soft and Harry felt something stir in him, like if this was his Mum he'd just be able to hug her. Suddenly Harry's throat felt very lumpy and hot.

"Oh, dear, t -thank you. I'm so, silly …" said Mrs Weasley looking up and wiping her eyes on the kitchen towel she was still clutching.

"No, I get it. " said Harry simply. Mrs Weasley looked at him and stopped in the middle of crying, tear tracks still visible on her face. She sniffed loudly, and after a moment smiled. Harry smiled back too, and a warm feeling settled in his stomach.

They stayed like that for another moment, then like someone had flicked a switch Mrs Weasley pulled her hand out of Harry's, wiped her eyes once more then straightened up and smiled again, this time with a more fixed expression.

"That's all dear, you can go now. Hermione and Ron are outside on the porch." she told him in a cheerful voice.

Harry nodded, not quite knowing what to say now that it seemed Mrs Weasley wanted to be alone. He gave her one last smile and walked around her towards the back door.

Just before he reached it Mrs Weasley spoke again.

" Harry … thank you dear. For the dishes. " she said quietly.

" That's o.k. " said Harry honestly.

* * *

Harry went outside. Stepping outside the warmth of the kitchen the cold air hit Harry like a smack in the face. He wrapped his arms around himself. Ron and Hermione were sat across the swing seat on the porch. They were both wearing Weasley jumpers and Hermione was sat between Ron's legs, his arms around her stomach to keep her warm. She had a book propped up against her knees and he was looking out into the darkened garden as she read.

Harry sat on the other end of swing seat, it was quite large so he stretched his legs out on it, facing them. Ron looked up as the swing seat moved and grinned at Harry. Harry smiled back but didn't say anything. Ron went back to staring past the porch light and the three swing back and forth. Harry could hear crickets scratching away beyond the house. Apart from that and the creak of the swing it was quiet. And peaceful Harry mused contentedly. They couldn't have done this last year. So much had changed since then. _Not all of it good, _and Harry thought of Mrs Weasley crying in the kitchen.

"You alright mate? You look a bit peaky. " Ron's voice brought Harry out of his reverie. Looking at him, Harry saw his best friend watching him with a look of concern. But he didn't want to spoil the moment by telling Ron what happened in the kitchen, so he just replied:

"It's just cold. "

Ron agreed fervently.

"You're telling me, I'm bloody freezing my bollocks off out - "

"Ron! " scolded Hermione.

" What? "Ron demanded.

"What are you reading Hermione?" Harry interrupted diplomatically.

"Oh hey Harry," she said looking up at Harry, then held up her book "The Bloodiest Battles of the 19th Century. The title's misleading, it's actually a very informative and expansive perspective of wizard trouble through the middle ages. "

"A bit of light reading before bed then? "Harry teased. Hermione huffed and turned back to reading. Ron sighed and addressed her.

"Can you not put the book down?"

"I'm _reading_ Ron. "

"Well you've been _reading _all day. "

"Well it's a fascinating book. "

"Mmmmm, and I find it fascinating that you find it fascinating. "

Ron bent down and kissed Hermione's temple. Harry watched as a little smile poked through Hermione's frown as she read.

Harry had to agree with Mrs Weasley. It was beautiful.

* * *


End file.
